FIRST there was Biggie and Tupac, a movie which investigated
the death of the popular rap icon, and now, there is a new documentary
about the murdered star, which is being hailed as the definitive
tale of his life.

Tupac: Resurrection was put together with the approval of his
mother, and was released in the US earlier this month.

Tupac Shakur was shot in 1996, but no one has ever been charged
with his murder, and rumour abounds that his death was part of
the east and west cost rap rivalry, which is said to exist in
America.

According to an unrelated web report, rap star, Marion 'Suge'
Knight, has agreed tol play himself in Sylvester Stallone's upcoming
thriller about the killing of fellow rappers, Tupac Shakur and
the Notorious B.I.G.

That flick, which is said to delve into allegations that corrupt
LA police officers were somehow involved in the killings, will
see Stallone direct himself as a crusading cop.

But returning to Tupac: Resurrection, his mother, Afeni Shakur,
is quoted as that her reason for backing the project is that we
want people to see, hear and understand Tupac as he was.

The documentary is directed by Lauren Lazin, who insists the
film has been told entirely from the rapper's point of view.

"The murder has not been solved and we didn't want to put
something in the movie that was speculation," he added.

The movie also contains Shakur's premonitions of his own death,
including a scene of the rapper saying, I always knew I
was gonna be shot.

It chronicles Shakurs development from child poet to icon
and includes previously unseen home movie footage that was supplied
by Afeni.

A soundtrack to the film has also been released, featuring music
from the singer, himself, and Eminem.

US reaction

The word from America on this riveting documentary has largely
been positive, with many lining up to heap praise upon it.

Rolling Stone, for instance, hailed it to be 'a remarkable
achievement' and awarded it three out of four stars, while Film
Threat wrote that it 'takes a look at the man's entire life
and grants us an eye-opening look inside his brain'.

Slant Magazine described it as 'a testament to Tupac's
ever-evolving legacy as one of black culture's most powerful and
invigorating rebel poets'.

And Variety found it to be 'an entertaining, strongly
narrative nonfiction package'.

Village Voice, meanwhile, noted that 'though the edits
can be too living-room smooth, the passion and pathology on display
transcend the Tabitha Soren overload'.

The Los Angeles Times felt that 'though we do feel the
need of other voices to provide perspective, Tupac: Resurrection
is even-handed for a single-point -of-view film'.

And the New York Times observed that, 'as its title suggests,
Tupac: Resurrection is less concerned with analyzing Shakur than
with bringing him back to life, for which his fans can only be
grateful. For everyone else, this film provides an affecting,
partial portrait'.

Hollywood Reporter continues the good reaction, by stating
that 'a poet warrior of the first order emerges in this riveting
chronicle of the brief life and times of rap superstar Tupac Shakur'.

And Entertainment Weekly found it 'resonant and fascinating'.

A little more sceptical, but no less appreciative, however, was
the Philadelphia Inquirer, which labelled it 'a compelling
piece of propaganda'.

While the Boston Phoenix felt it 'serves as a cautionary
tale to the fast and furious'.

Film Threat rounds off this overview, however, by observing
that 'film-maker, Lauren Lazin, has created a loving tribute to
this late star as if he was her own son. Fans will approve'.